A look at the University of Delaware’s 2024 football schedule
Here are the teams the Blue Hens will play this football season. 8/1/24
Survey says: Delaware teachers aren’t happy.
At least, in discussing a recent survey from the state’s largest teachers union, Delaware State Education Association’s results have shown many remain dissatisfied and question whether they will leave education all together, earlier than planned. We’ll dig into other results below, as well at what might be done about it.
Regardless, the state is gearing up to start a 2024-25 school year with hundreds of vacancies across public schools, per the Delaware Schools Consortium website showing over 830 openings posted online. These openings reflect many more positions than teachers alone. The Department of Education told Delaware Online/The News Journal it doesn’t track statewide educator vacancies in real time, though it plans to survey human resource directors this fall.
In this weekly roundup, we’ll catch you up on this and some brighter education updates you may have missed.
[Did we miss another good education story? Tell me about it: kepowers@gannett.com.]
When 75% of Delaware teachers say they are likely to leave …
Some striking highlights within a DSEA membership survey shared last month display apparent teacher dissatisfaction:
75% said they are more likely to retire or leave education earlier than planned.7 in 10 surveyed educators were dissatisfied with working conditions.One-third were not at all confident that they will continue working in education as a career, while just one-fourth said they are “very confident.”62% of members reported experiencing higher levels of stress/burnout than previous years, with 25% saying that their level of frustration/burnout is at the highest level ever.
Participation rate was a little over 8%, looking to capture a snapshot of sentiment across some 12,800 active members at the time of this survey — including teachers, specialists and other support personnel throughout public schools.
It’s not telling a new story.
“Having been in education for probably close to 30 years now, I would say no, I wasn’t surprised.”” said Jon Neubauer, the association’s director of education policy. He said driving issues have largely remained consistent in recent decades: compensation; challenging student behavior and mental health demands; further support needed for learning and play outside academic hours; and the staffing shortages sharpening much of the above.
The policy advocate highlighted his focuses looking ahead.
The latest list: Here’s where you can find free back-to-school supplies in Delaware
Neubauer hopes to see compensation recommendations from the Public Education Compensation Committee fully implemented, reflecting a four-year plan to raise a teacher base salary to $60,000, among other support position raises. DSEA also hopes to see continued boosts to mental health for students, as well as resources for those professionals. This joins efforts to strengthen relationships, from student to family engagement.
This session, the General Assembly passed HB 5, ensuring such school-based services are eligible for federal Medicaid funds, as well as an improvement in the ratio of school mental health professionals for grades 9-12 within HB 200. These bills are expected to be signed into law this week.
Also this session, the Student Behavior and School Climate Task Force took shape. Recommendations on improvements due this November.
DSEA also aims to support limits to classroom distractions, like efforts budding across the state to lessen cellphone use in school. With these, support for summer and after-school programs and more, there’s plenty of work to be considered.
But, Neubauer said, “I’m hopeful that a light has been shined on the situation.”
Delaware schools: Teachers are battling poor student behavior post-COVID. Delaware lawmakers strain for answers
School districts secure money to support ‘rural education’ achievement programs
Two Delaware districts and two charter schools will feel impact from the “Rural and Low Income Schools program,” a federal grant to provide rural schools with assistance for initiatives aimed at boosting student achievement.
DDOE says this isn’t very competitive, as funding and eligibility are determined by statute and other requirements. Districts and charter schools must have at least 20% of the children they serve come from families with incomes below the poverty line, living within a rural area, according to DDOE, to qualify.
Awardees this year were:
Cape Henlopen School District: $100,494POLYTECH School District: $44,132Providence Creek Academy: $26,866Sussex Montessori School: $13,986DSU graduates each land $2,500 Sallie Mae scholarships
Delaware State University graduates Genovea Striplet and Iyonna Miller have each been awarded $2,500 “to help achieve their academic goals,” according to the Sallie Mae Corporation.
Striplet already completed her master’s degree in social work at Dover’s HBCU, Sallie Mae said in a recent announcement, and she plans to use it to pursue a career helping communities and advocating for new policy. Miller earned a bachelor’s degree in English at Delaware State. She hopes to return to school to reach for a master’s in speech pathology.
The next application window for this “Completing the Dream” scholarship is now open until Dec. 6.
The program aims to help students from under-resourced, underrepresented and underserved communities complete post-secondary education, according to the bank.
Delaware day care: Parents have already seen the worst fears in child care. What’s Delaware doing about it?
Delaware students take on summer aviation course in Maryland
The Massey Air Museum just finished its one-week summer class: “Introduction to Aviation Engineering.”
The training wrapped up July 19 at the Maryland aerodrome just over the state line, according to Bill Dougherty, who shared the milestone. He noted students with an interest in aviation were recruited from Delaware’s Caesar Rodney High, the First State Military Academy and Middletown’s Civil Air Patrol Squadron.
The free course is offered to local high school students considering a career in aviation, whether as pilots, technicians or engineers. It then delivers a taste into aerodynamics, aircraft components, machine shop practice, electrical systems, flight planning, navigation and more.
Each student received two airplane flights, one in a Piper Arrow, another in a Stearman biplane, Dougherty said. And on the last day, each student flew a rubber-band-powered model aircraft that they built under the direction of one instructor, Larry Folsom. Students also built and launched model rockets that would eject a parachute-equipped capsule securing a raw egg.
Dougherty said five of six eggs survived the trip.
What’s ‘best-kept secret’ in aviation? Delaware State, how it produces pilots of color
Got a story? Kelly Powers covers race, culture and equity for Delaware Online/The News Journal and USA TODAY Network Northeast, with a focus on education. Contact her at kepowers@gannett.com or (231) 622-2191, and follow her on X @kpowers01.
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Publish date : 2024-08-04 21:40:00
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